As is widely known the House of Savoy, after some remarkable successes in the XVII and XVIII centuries ended up leading the struggle for Italian independence and, after the war of 1859 and Garibaldi's expedition, Vittorio Emanuele II became King of Italy in 1861 (Veneto would be added in 1866, Rome in 1871 and Trentino in 1918).
But at the beginning of the XIX century the House, which always used the Salic succession, found itself very thin on male descendants: Vittorio Emanuele I and his brother Carlo Felice never had male children, so the throne devolved to the cadet branch of the Savoia-Carignano, which had a sole male heir, Carlo Alberto, from whom the Kings of Italy are descended.
Now, what if for some accident or illness Carlo Alberto dies before conceiving Vittorio Emanuele II, so before 1819? To whom would the Sardinian throne pass?
Could there be an amendment to the succession statutes enabling the succession to go to one of V.E. I's daughters? They were:
What could be the effects on Italian unification? Francis IV of Modena, a full reactionary as prince consort of Sardinia would not go well with the liberals, on the other hand Austria would love putting one of its client Dukes on or at least beside the Sardinian throne, while France would resent this form of Habsburg encroachment. If Maria Theresa marries Carlo II as iotl, maybe France could support her rights to the throne? It seems a bit late for a succession war, but...
But at the beginning of the XIX century the House, which always used the Salic succession, found itself very thin on male descendants: Vittorio Emanuele I and his brother Carlo Felice never had male children, so the throne devolved to the cadet branch of the Savoia-Carignano, which had a sole male heir, Carlo Alberto, from whom the Kings of Italy are descended.
Now, what if for some accident or illness Carlo Alberto dies before conceiving Vittorio Emanuele II, so before 1819? To whom would the Sardinian throne pass?
Could there be an amendment to the succession statutes enabling the succession to go to one of V.E. I's daughters? They were:
- Maria Beatrice (1792-1840) married before the POD Francis IV of Modena
- Maria Theresa (1803-1879) married in 1820 Carlo II of Borbone-Parma
- Maria Anna (1803-1884) married in 1831 Ferdinand I of Habsburg
- Maria Cristina (1812-1836) married in 1832 Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
What could be the effects on Italian unification? Francis IV of Modena, a full reactionary as prince consort of Sardinia would not go well with the liberals, on the other hand Austria would love putting one of its client Dukes on or at least beside the Sardinian throne, while France would resent this form of Habsburg encroachment. If Maria Theresa marries Carlo II as iotl, maybe France could support her rights to the throne? It seems a bit late for a succession war, but...